First they were forced to schlep from one end of town to another as they waited for their school to be renovated. Finally, they had the brand-spanking-new facility and the top-rate magnet program of their dreams. Parents, students and faculty worked hard to shape Rose L. Hardy Middle School into one of the city’s premier education centers. That was all before June 2010 — before then-chancellor Michelle Rhee reassigned the school’s popular principal, Patrick Pope, to plan the creation of a citywide arts magnet middle school. The less-experienced Dana Nerenberg replaced him. She is principal of Hyde-Addison Elementary School. Hardy was added to her portfolio.

In a letter dated Jan. 7 and addressed to Nerenberg, Interim D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Mayor Vincent Gray and other elected officials, Candy Miles-Crocker, a parent leader, complained that the “school has gone down to a level unfortunately, that looks like what many describe as a typical D.C. public school.” She cited as examples increasing violence among students, a student-set fire and multiple allegations of corporal punishment against the same teacher in two weeks.